Author Topic: Obscure Christmas Music You Love  (Read 1277 times)

1SO

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Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« on: November 30, 2019, 10:05:20 AM »
I knew the season was upon us when I was in a store and heard "All I Want For Christmas is You". This was 3 weeks ago.

What are your favorite obscure, alternative or tunes that never became holiday standards?

I'll start with two of mine.

"When We're Together" by Idina Menzel
This was the climactic ballad of "Olaf's Frozen Adventure", which was destroyed by the horrible mistake of being released in its 22-minute entirety in front of Coco. It's a song about the warm feelings of the holiday bringing people we love together, which creates those warm feelings that the holiday brings. The Season makes us because we make the Season.


"Let Them Go (It Won't Be Long 'Till Christmas)" by Greer Garson and Fred MacMurray.
This is the last song from Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, which means you hear it when most people are aching for the film to be over. However, removed from that context it's a lovely song about empty nest syndrome and looking forward to the time when the family will gather together once again.
There'll holly and tinsel and mistletoe
There'll be songs by fire glow
Oh, it won't be long 'til Christmas
Let them go, let them go.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2019, 01:53:24 PM by 1SO »

Dave the Necrobumper

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2019, 08:46:32 PM »
White Wine in the Sun would be mine. It covers what Christmas is about, family.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q
« Last Edit: November 30, 2019, 08:52:23 PM by Dave the Necrobumper »

Sandy

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2019, 05:59:29 PM »
A pointed song in a peaceful package. I like it.

Dave, I forget that Christmas is summer for you. :)



Not sure how obscure this is, but Linda Eder is so listenable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btwIIG8_llw



Dave the Necrobumper

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2019, 05:07:49 AM »
Being summer it is harder for find weather relevant Christmas tunes.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2019, 12:18:18 PM »

philip918

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2019, 04:10:19 PM »
George Winston's piano album December was on all winter growing up. Still really like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCf3lvUpWL4

Also love the Velveteen Rabbit album where he plays and Meryl Streep narrates.

oldkid

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2019, 10:47:09 PM »
I forgot about that George Winston album.  I'm going to listen to it again this Xmas.

A Christmas standard in our house:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E-47VmFopE

An adorable one by Stevie Wonder:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLjVcHG4B1U
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1SO

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2019, 07:42:28 PM »
White Wine in the Sun surprised me because I don't know Tim Minchin, so when this started I went, "ok, it's an ironic comedy song." Then he gets to the part about his family and it's such a smooth transition because he sounds just as sincere. He's not being ironic. He points out the flaws and inconsistencies in Christmas but that's okay because the good qualities are what life is all about.


Christmas Stays the Same: Linda Eder is as known to me as Tim Minchin, but the song goes down like a smooth, instant classic. My mother had Barbra Striesand's Christmas Album in constant location and this sounds like a track that somehow got left out of my mom's copy. So this also makes me think of my mom, which is not a bad thing for Christmas time.


All I Ever Get For Christmas is Blue: Cheerful, Sam. Some of the lyrics are playful - "It would take a miracle to get me out to a shopping mall." - but this song feels like the last sip of wine for the evening and as I'm listening, I'm balancing the glass tilted between the table and my finger. A song for reflecting and making plans to do better next time.


Carol of the Bells remains my favorite Christmas song ever. It's The Aristocrats of Christmas, open to so many interpretations, from the beautiful to the scary. I listen to them all, including the original Ukrainian folk chant "Shchedryk". This has a bit of both, and has me interested in listening to the complete CD.


The Christmas Can Can: When I discovered "The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen", I thought I had found the definitive comedy Christmas song. (FYI, "Grandma Got Run Over..." isn't funny enough to be an annual play.) This was superb.

And I know One Little Christmas Tree, a great lesser-known tune.

Sandy

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2019, 10:39:23 AM »
Nice commentary, 1SO. :)


Tim Minchin is the composer and lyricist of Matilda the Musical. His gift for social commentary verbiage shines through in his holiday song.

The Deer Hunter

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Re: Obscure Christmas Music You Love
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2019, 09:09:31 PM »
I don't think they count as obscure but they're ones i don't hear played around anywhere.

https://youtu.be/UV8x7H3DD8Y

https://youtu.be/fh79619xxk8

And one that just came out that i like.

https://youtu.be/5SqnqCv9ktQ